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Wohoooo🥳 50 chapters already. I was super excited so here's me giving you the longest update of this book with 3000+ words. Happy reading to all of you and do share your feelings of completing half century.
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"I didn't know that even you wanted this. If I had any idea of it then I wouldn't have said any of that. I'm sorry!" Nandini backed out immediately by muttering that in a low voice and that made Manik feel a little guilty. He did not have to be so rude when all that she was doing was to express her concern about him.
"I am sorry, I snapped! It's not like I want to press charges. I just feel that if Meira and chachu feel like doing so then I don't actually have any rights to refrain them from doing anything." Manik said as he held her hand again that was on the coffee table.
"Ultimately, it has to be your decision and I don't think I should interfere. But, I just want to say that, if you guys decide to go through with this then there's a good chance that this could last a couple of years. Agree to it only if you're up for something like that." Nandini obviously did not wish to impose on his family matters but again, Manik was her husband and she had every right to hold him back from doing something that he actually did not want to do in the first place.
"You should interfere, Nandini. If I do this then it's going to affect both of our lives so it's only fair if you weigh in too. And, I do understand what you're trying to tell me. Don't worry, I won't commit to anything without thinking it through. I told Meira that I'll need some time to ponder over this and also that I have to discuss this with you." Manik gently said because he realised that he had pushed Nandini away by passing that rude remark. While he said all that, his fingers were engaged in caressing her knuckles.
"Let's forget about this for now. We're as it is getting no time to spend with each other and when we get time like now, I don't think it's the best idea to start with these controversial issues. It is only going to make us argue." Nandini expressed. Manik nodded in understanding as he watched her finish the last of her sandwich and coffee.
"You're right!" Manik exclaimed after a few minutes passed by in silence which confused Nandini.
"About what?" Nandini quizzed as she retracted her hand away from him to wipe her mouth using the napkin.
"About us not getting any time to spend with each other. Lets not go home today. We can go on a long drive and have dinner outside or maybe we could rent a hotel room just for tonight. It's been a while since we did anything that's just the two of us so what say?" Manik suggested out of the blue. Nandini passed him a surprised look at his abrupt plan to ditch their home for the night.
"Both of us have to work tomorrow and what would I say to Amma-Appa?" Nandini might have uttered those words but her tone and the glint in her eyes said otherwise. She was excited to tear away from their tedious routine for one night and just be with him.
"Call your Appa and tell him that Cabir-Navya invited us over for dinner and we've decided to stay the night at their place. And about our work... It's my own start-up so I think I can manage losing a few hours which I can compensate by working tomorrow night. You can go to your office in the afternoon after lunch by taking a half CL and it's not like you have any important events lined up to take care of, courtesy your boss, anyway." Manik elaborated and by the end Nandini sensed how much Vivaan had actually pissed him off. She did not want Manik's mood to drop since he just came up with a beautiful plan for them so she did what she had to do in order to lift his mood. She got up from her seat and for once, ignoring the fact that they were in a public space, she leaned in to place a long and wet kiss on Manik's cheek thus causing him to close his eyes in ecstasy.
This woman had no idea what all she did to him in just one kiss. He felt the should skip the drive and dinner part to directly jump on the hotel room part just so he could have his way with her after what it felt like ages even though it was probably just three and a half weeks. He realised that he had never felt so drawn to someone in his entire life like he did to Nandini. She could so effortlessly turn him on in just one kiss which was again not even on the lips.
Oh, how much he loved her!
And he was more than ready to show just how much he loved her at the end of this night....
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Manik and Nandini were in the outskirts of the city as Manik drove their car in the direction of a hilltop. Like Manik instructed her, Nandini called her Appa and informed them that Manik and her wouldn't be returning back home for the night and hence they shouldn't wait up. Nandini then called Navya to inform her just in case if a situation arose where she might have to cover up for them in the future. She parked her car at Navya's as well and after Manik and her payed a quick visit to Cabir, Navya and Mukti, they began their journey in Manik's car.
"It's been a while since I've felt this free and happy!" Nandini expressed as the chilled air kissed her face periodically since Manik left the window pane down, obliging to her request.
"That is because you weren't able to spend alone time with me. I know that you need me to stay sane." Manik boasted which made Nandini roll her eyes at his cocky remark however correct that was.
"You are so full of yourself. Don't assume though, it is just the fresh air of this amazing place." Nandini gave him back to ensure that she wouldn't feed his male ego.
"Oh come on, we both know that you're lying. It is totally me!" Manik remarked with a proud smirk.
Nandini scrutinized her gaze at him while her mind ran in the direction of how not to lose this to Manik who was still very much focused on the road and making sure that they were on the correct path.
A crooked idea struck Nandini's mind in a moment and she decided to go through with it no matter how inappropriate it might seem for being on the roads.
Nandini sat up straight by crossing her legs which Manik noticed in his peripheral vision but soon he gasped in shock as he felt her small and delicate palm sliding down in the valley between his thigh and his manhood.
"Nandini, what are you doing?" Manik questioned, hoarsely, as he gulped in an imaginary lump that he felt was stuck in his throat.
"Nothing! Thought you could use a hand down there to feel just as happy and excited as 'you' are making me feel." Nandini's hands were perfectly doing their job of turning him on but the voice of her inner seductress and her words made him feel like he was set on fire. His grip on the steering wheel tightened while the speed of their car slowed down since he felt that to be of at most importance else they could end up on a hospital bed when it was supposed to be a beautiful night for the two of them.
"You need to stop right now else, I will have to forget that we are in the middle of a road and I'd stop the car under the next tree and have my way with you." Manik warned her which seemed more like a groan as a result of his throbbing manhood, courtesy Nandini's gentle caress over the fabric of his pant that covered the area.
Nandini chuckled out loud before retracting back to sit comfortably on her seat making Manik sigh out loud.
"I'm sure, that can wait till the end of the night." she paused her laugh to say that and again began giggling at his helpless state.
It had been a long time since they had been intimate which already increased his anticipation by manifolds and to add to that when Nandini teased him down there, his need just seemed uncontrollable. He needed to stick his tongue down her throat and her moan his name loudly when he'll make love to her until atleast sunrise.
"I'd love to hear you speak when it will be my mouth instead of your hands and your core instead of my penis, later tonight." Manik's words shut her up completely and her face flushed to a shade of dark red.
Middle of the road, in a moving automobile was definitely not the place to talk dirty with one another, Nandini said in her mind.
Even if she was just teasing him, in reality, she needed him too. It had been difficult times for them and not being close to Manik made it only worse for her. Like he said, she needed him to keep herself sane. She couldn't wait for him to do things to her that he just said.
The rest of their ride was a silent one with the sexual tension getting only more and more dense between them.
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"We're staying at a resort?" Nandini questioned Manik as he parked their vehicle in the parking area of the 'Lakeville' resort.
Nandini was familiar with this resort and a couple of resorts in this place as a consequence of her visits down here as a part of her team's venue hunt for outdoor events but she had never really got a chance to explore it from the inside. Lakeville resort was located in the foothills of a beautiful mountain on a lakeside and winters were the best times in a year to pay a visit.
"Not, technically but kind of yeah!" Manik's response confused Nandini but she followed him anyway through the gates of the resort as she had faith in her husband's choices.
Nandini's hands were securely entwined with Manik's as he lead their way to the lobby. There was a big swimming pool that was lit up from the outline given the night time on one side of the pathway on which they were walking on , the cover of trees was dense on both sides of the well-lit pathway, there were little cottages that looked extremely cosy from the outside, the streetlights had an antique look to match with the setting of the resort and last but certainly not the least, peeking amidst the gaps of the tall trees was the open sky with millions of stars that were very much visible as a result of having clearer skies in the outskirts of the city which was free of pollution. Nandini kept looking around all over the place and let it's beauty leave a beguiling imprint on her memory.
"Manik Malhotra! I have a reservation for the night." Nandini heard manik say to the guy in the reception and caught him presenting an ID proof for the same, once they reached the lobby at the end of the path.
"Just a minute, sir!" the guy asked for a moment as he ran the scan of Manik's ID through his system to confirm.
"Here, sir! Your tent is that way. Take the next left at the end of this footway, number thirteen!" the man guided Manik about the direction to their private tent for night after he handed him the ID and a kit that had stuff for a date night as a consequence of Manik's booking for a honeymoon package.
Nandini looked pleasantly surprised at the mention of a tent which Manik decided to let go for the moment and pulled her with him towards their destination not before thanking the receptionist and grabbing the bag that he handed out.
"Oh my god, Manik! This is so romantic!" Manik heard Nandini exclaim in surprise once they reached the secluded area at the end of a little trail that was numbered thirteen.
It was the lakeside and far away from any of the rest of the parts of resort as all the tent areas were well seperated by the dense trees in between. There was a tent, not quite far from the lake, which was all pulled up and ready to enter and at a little distance from the tent was a bonfire alongside a cosy mattress to settle on. The branches of tree right above the tent carried a series of old fashioned bulbs to complement the setting.
Over-all, it was the best place to escape reality for one night and bask in the warmth of mother nature.
"I'm glad you like it!" Manik replied with a smile, feeling a little proud of himself for being the reason of that beautiful smile on Nandini's face. He set the bag-pack on one side of the mattress, beside the bonfire and turned to look at Nandini who had gotten closer to the lake as she enjoyed the beautiful view from there.
"How did you get to know about this place?" Nandini asked him when she felt his presence right behind her.
"I looked it up online while we were at the cafe. Seemed like the best way to spend tonight." Manik mumbled out to her as he stepped closer to take her in a satisfying back hug.
"It is indeed the best!" Nandini agreed with a serene smile and felt him bending to place a kiss on her cheek.
"It's been so long since I got to hold you like this." Manik muttered with an inaudible sigh. It was so fulfilling to just hold her that way and it was a pity that he couldn't do it inside his own house.
"Yeah, this feels so good!" Nandini responded and snuggled comfortably in his embrace by placing her head on his chest.
"Do you want something to eat? I think there's a box of noodles with the wine bottle inside the bag." Manik questioned because he felt a little hungry given that he did not have anything at the cafe other than his hazelnut cappuccino. Also, it had been two hours since they left the cafe so he figured that both of them could have their dinner.
"I'm still full because of the sandwiches. But, I think you should probably eat. Open the wine bottle. I'll have that to give you company while you eat." Nandini replied, moving away from his hold. She decided to ignore his glare for bailing out on dinner and walked closer to the bonfire to settle herself on the mattress placed beside it.
Manik felt his stomach growl so he decided to make food his priority for now. He followed her trail and sat down beside her not before getting rid of his shoes on the grass. Nandini pulled out the take-out containers of noodles from the bag followed by the bottle of wine, glasses and water. She passed one of the containers to Manik with a use-and-throw fork which he grabbed on and in less than a second she found him digging in already.
"Have you ever been to camping like this before?" Nandini questioned after a little while when both of them sat looking at the glowing water in front of them as a result of the luminance from the full moon.
"Yeah... Twice or thrice, I guess. Once with Alya and the other two times with the entire gang." Manik replied, honestly and recalled those pleasant times he'd gotten to spend when he was much younger than now.
"You and Alya came here?" Nandini didn't exactly know about why did she even ask that but it felt important for her to know that. She was completely okay with Manik and Alya's friendship now but that did not mean that she'd feel ecstatic to have date nights with her husband where he had already been with another woman.
"No! Of course, not! If I had been here with her in the past then why would you think that I'd bother to even bring you here?" Manik replied first and then questioned, rhetorically, feeling creeped out by her mere question.
"I'm sorry, I don't know why did I ask that." Nandini apologised and refused to meet eyes with him.
"Nandini, I know that it isn't easy for you but I don't know what else to do so that you know that it's all in the past. Me being around Alya isn't going to change anything." Manik said as he took her in a side hug. He knew that him spending so much time around Alya for whatever reason, might create room for insecurities in Nandini's head even if she wasn't that kind of person. It was only human to have those feelings crawl their way into her head.
"It is not like that, Manik. I'm just.... I don't know. I am not insecure of your friendship with Alya and I trust you one hundred percent. But, sometimes, this thought comes up in my mind that what if you get tired of all the baggage that surrounds me. I mean, to look at it objectively, Alya was so much easier to be with, for you. Relationship of three years that gradually progressed from dating to living together to finally being engaged while on the other hand we did not spend that kind of time with each other. Hell, we married in just 45 days after meeting. We don't have that rock solid foundation in our relationship which makes it already hard enough to work on but with everything that is happening, I feel a little afraid that what if all this pushes you away from me." Nandini expressed genuinely. It was true that there were days when such thoughts entered her mind, no matter how much of a sorted person she was. Manik sighed with partial relief as he was relieved that Nandini opened up about this to him. It was significant to communicate the way they always did and even if they got no chance or time for it, even then they have to make sure that they do talk to each other about these insecurities.
He pulled her close to himself and by now she put her entire weight on him which he obviously did not mind at all.
"I'd be lying if I say that I don't feel like that sometimes because it's human nature to want to run away from a situation that is as tricky as ours but the one thing that you're wrong about is that, it doesn't make me feel the need to run away from 'you', instead I feel like I should pack both of our bags and elope together to somewhere far away from this mess. And, remember one thing clearly.... Alya might be a great girl but she wasn't easy for me to be with. No relationship can be easy, Nandini. We had other problems and biggest of all was that she was never in love with me. But with you and me, it's different. We love each other and we made a commitment for life, willingly, no matter how short the duration was between meeting and marrying each other. This marriage and my love for you makes me want to work harder on what you just said- building that rock solid foundation. I realise that the situations aren't exactly helping us in doing that but that's how life is going to be. I cannot promise a smooth life for the two of us but I have made a promise to love you forever and that is going to make all these struggles worth it, in the end." Manik explained his point of view in a gentle and soothing tone. He was constantly stroking her knuckles of the hand that was enclosed in his while he spoke her.
"That was really sweet! At times like these, I realise how lucky did I get with this weird arrangement of ours." Nandini expressed pointing out their arrangement of getting married to each other.
"Both of us did!" Manik added to her statement and thus etching a beautiful smile on her face that had the capacity to befuddle his senses at anytime of any day.
"Everything seems so easy right after we talk about it but until then it's so much pressure for this tiny little organ." Nandini commented and indicated her head which made Manik chuckle out loud at her cuteness.
"Talking is the ultimate solution, Nandini." Manik said but Nandini didn't agree. She felt that it requires a great deal of maturity and understanding between two people to sort things by talking the way they do. It is harder for even them at so many times. With anyone else who lacked those two things, it would only worsen the situation by talking. Nandini didn't say it out loud, though.
"I think we should go inside the tent. It's getting chilly out here." Manik suggested and inspite of wanting to stay out there amidst the beauty of nature, Nandini agreed reluctantly with Manik since it was getting very chilly for her to handle.
Nandini sat up straight as Manik got up to stand on his feet. After straightening his pant, Manik held out his hand in Nandini's direction for her to take support of it and stand up which she did readily. Manik then lead their way inside to spend the rest of the night in the warmth of the thick fabric of the tent.
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✨With this chapter we've officially entered the final phase of this story. It's going to get rocky before the climax. I hope you guys are as thrilled as I am. If you wish to read anything specific then drop down a comment so that I can try to incorporate it.✨